China’s Supply Chain Expo Opens in Beijing with First-Ever AI Zone
The fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) opened on Monday at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, marking a significant evolution in the world’s first national-level exhibition dedicated to supply chains with the debut of a dedicated artificial intelligence zone. Running through June 26 under the theme “Connecting the World for a Shared Future,” the expo brings together 676 enterprises from 85 countries, regions, and international organizations, with foreign exhibitors accounting for 36.5 percent of participants, according to Xinhua News.
A Growing Platform for Global Supply Chain Cooperation
Now in its fourth year, the CISCE has steadily expanded since its inaugural edition in November 2023. This year’s event features more than 65 percent Fortune Global 500 companies and leading industry enterprises among its exhibitors, and the actual number of participants is expected to exceed 1,200 when including upstream and downstream supply chain partners brought by the primary exhibitors, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) reported.
The expo is organized into six major supply chain sectors — the Digital-Intelligent Technology Chain, Advanced Manufacturing Chain, Green Agriculture Chain, Healthy Life Chain, Smart Vehicle Chain, and Clean Energy Chain — plus a Supply Chain Service Exhibition Area. A notable addition this year is a dedicated low-altitude economy zone within the Advanced Manufacturing Chain, featuring nearly 30 industry-leading companies showcasing the full-chain ecosystem of this emerging sector.
AI Takes Center Stage
The most prominent new feature of the 2026 CISCE is its first-ever dedicated AI zone, housed within the upgraded Digital-Intelligent Technology Chain. The zone is designed along the industrial evolution path from data and perception to computing power and algorithms, and finally to applications and solutions, as detailed by the Global Times.
Leading global AI enterprises including NVIDIA, Intel, Qualcomm, and Alibaba are participating in the zone, which has been described as a “gathering of masters on Mount Hua” — a Chinese idiom for a contest of equals. Intel is showcasing AI personal computers, AI servers, edge computing, embodied intelligence, and intelligent vehicles, while NVIDIA is presenting its AI “five-layer cake” spanning energy, chips, infrastructure, models, and applications.
“The establishment of the AI section at the CISCE has attracted a growing number of AI companies to participate, significantly enhancing the expo’s global standing and influence,” Bian Yongzu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine, told the Global Times.
Australia Serves as First Country of Honour
Australia has been named the first-ever Country of Honour for the CISCE, reflecting warming bilateral relations following the July 2025 meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Dominic Trindade, Australian Minister-Commercial at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, said that serving as Country of Honour “underscores Australia’s position as a clean, green, and reliable trading partner,” according to a statement from the Australian Embassy Beijing.
China is Australia’s largest trading partner, and the CISCE has been described by CCPIT Spokesperson Wang Guannan as “an important platform for implementing the important consensus between the two countries’ leaders and promoting industrial and supply chain cooperation between business communities.”
Strong US Corporate Participation
Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, US companies continue to rank as the largest foreign contingent at the expo. Apple is participating for the fourth consecutive year, jointly displaying with Chinese supply chain partners Sunny Optical, AAC Technologies, and Korien on smart manufacturing and green manufacturing initiatives. Other major US participants include NVIDIA, Intel, Qualcomm, Honeywell, Skyworks, and Cadence.
Innovation and Product Launches
The expo is expected to feature over 160 product launches, premieres, and debuts during its run. Siemens and Honeywell, both veteran participants, are unveiling multiple China-first products including industrial AI agents, intelligent decision systems, and green carbon reduction solutions. A dedicated “Chain Expo Premieres” platform will host more than 30 major launch events.
Concurrent activities include over 60 business exchange events and the release of the 2026 Global Supply Chain Promotion Report and the Global Supply Chain Resilience Index Matrix.
Expert Perspectives on China’s Supply Chain Role
Multinational executives at the expo expressed strong confidence in China’s supply chain ecosystem. Yin Zheng, executive vice president of China and East Asia Operations at Schneider Electric, told the Global Times that with “a complete industrial system, a mega-sized market, and a continuously improving business environment, China serves as both a ‘stabilizer’ and a ‘source of innovation’ for the global industrial chain.”
Saravoot Yoovidhya, CEO of TCP Group (Red Bull), which is participating for the second consecutive year, noted that “the comprehensive industrial supporting facilities and efficient coordination capabilities provide a solid foundation for the development of multinational enterprises.”
Looking Ahead
The expo opens to professional visitors from June 22 to 24 and to the general public from June 25 to 26. As AI continues to reshape global industries, the CISCE’s dedicated AI zone signals China’s strategic push to position itself at the forefront of AI-driven industrial transformation, while the strong international participation underscores the enduring importance of global supply chain cooperation amid ongoing trade realignments.